Here Are The Top 30 Highest-Paying Jobs in the U.S.

With the world changing at such a rapid pace, keeping up with potential changes in the job market is as important than ever.

New career paths open up and changes to existing ones occur frequently, so you need to make sure you’re taking everything into consideration when choosing a career, whether you’re just getting started or considering a career change.

There are several important factors to consider when deciding which career to invest your time and energy into, such as your level of interest, knowledge, and the lifestyle that comes with that career choice.

However, it’s impossible to ignore the importance of pay.

That’s why we’ve gathered a list of the top thirty highest-paying jobs in the U.S. as of 2018, with data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as U.S. News. Below, you’ll find average annual salary as well as the estimated growth for each job from 2018 to 2026 along with a short summary of each job.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

– Confucius

30. Veterinarian

Average annual salary: $88,770

Estimated job growth: 18%

Savior’s to our furry friends, veterinarians handle all medical-related issues for animals, from regular checkups to medication and even surgery.

28. Financial advisor

Average annual salary: $90,530

Estimated job growth: 14%

In essence a financial doctor, a financial advisor advises clients on how to best manage their personal (and business) finances and offers solutions for optimizing various areas such as cash flow, retirement, and investing.

27. Information security analyst

Average annual salary: $92,600

Estimated job growth: 28%

Cybersecurity is more important than ever, but it will only continue to grow over the next decade. And, as a result, so too will demand for information security analysts, who are largely in charge of putting such cybersecurity systems in place. It’s no surprise that they’re projected to see a growth rate of over 28 percent between now and 2026.

26. Psychologist

Average annual salary: $95,710

Estimated job growth: 9%

Psychologists are experts of the mind, understanding what makes us tick on a fundamental level and, depending on specialization, they have the ability to offer treatment for various mental illnesses and psychological issues.

25. Computer network architect

Average annual salary: $101,210

Estimated job growth: 6%

Computer network architects build and maintain digital communication networks that are vital to many of today’s businesses, both big and small. CNAs may be in charge of everything from designing the infrastructure of the network to budgeting, hiring, and managing staff.

24. Medical and health services manager

Average annual salary: $109,370

Estimated job growth: 19.8%

While doctors and nurses work around the clock to help patients in need, someone has to manage the logistics and make sure everything stays running smoothly. That’s the job of a medical and health services manager, who manage everything from hospitals to health care facilities and nursing homes.

23. Political scientist

Average annual salary: $112,250

Estimated job growth: 2.1%

Political scientists might be few and far between, but that’s probably because most people don’t know how well they’re paid. Political scientists help forecast changes on a worldwide scale, including everything from politics to business.

22. Actuary

Average annual salary: $114,120

Estimated job growth: 22.5%

Actuaries are the math brains behind the various multi-billion dollar insurance industries, so it’s no surprise they’re paid so well. However, what is a surprise is their nearly 23 percent estimated job growth from now until 2026, attributed to their recent expansion beyond the insurance industry.

21. Optometrist

Average annual salary: $117,580

Estimated job growth: 17.3%

An optometrist is a doctor who specializes in eye health, including everything from basic checkups to prescribing eye medication in the event of an eye injury, prescribing glasses, and more.

20. Pharmacist

Average annual salary: $120,270

Estimated job growth: 5.6%

Pharmacists handle everything having to do with medication prescriptions, from informing patients about the medication they are taking and its potential side effects to tracking all their prescriptions and working with doctors to renew them.

19. Business operations manager

Average annual salary: $122,090

Estimated job growth: 9.1%

Business-operations managers specialize in keeping businesses running, which includes everything from hiring and managing teams to making larger planning and strategic business decisions.

18. Sales manager

Average annual salary: $135,090

Estimated job growth: 7.4%

Sales managers are, you guessed it, in charge or a company’s sales department. Responsibilities include hiring salespeople, generating and tracking sales targets and quotas, and making sure the company hits its sales goals.

17. Financial manager

Average annual salary: $139,720

Estimated job growth: 18.7%

Financial managers are in charge of managing a company’s business finances. Responsibilities include generating and studying reports and other financial statements such as a P&L and accounts receivable, managing cash flow, and more.

16. Lawyer

Average annual salary: $139,880

Estimated job growth: 9.4%

Lawyers are in charge of defending and prosecuting others in a court of law. There are several different specializations you can choose with a career in law, and they span across both the private and public sectors.

15. Podiatrist

Average annual salary: $144,110

Estimated job growth: 9.7%

A podiatrist specializes in treating the area in and around the feet, including everything from ingrown toenails to sprained ankles and torn ligaments.

14. Marketing manager

Average annual salary: $144,140

Estimated job growth: 10%

Marketing managers are responsible for a company’s marketing efforts, which can include a variety of tasks including creating and outsourcing advertising, online content, organizing special events, and a slew of other marketing-related tasks.

13. IT manager

Average annual salary: $145,740

Estimated job growth: 11.9%

IT managers specialize in managing hardware and software tasks in the workplace (for virtually any industry), from replacing equipment to installing new programs, removing malware, and any other tech-related project or issue.

12. Petroleum engineer

Average annual salary: $147,030

Estimated job growth: 14.5%

Petroleum engineers specialize in developing new technology that helps untap oil from the Earth. Estimated job growth is high for petroleum engineers due to the high demand for innovative new environmentally friendly methods of procuring petroleum.

11. Nurse anesthetist

Average annual salary: $164,030

Estimated job growth: 16%

Nurse anesthetists are similar to anesthesiologists in that they help doctors administer anesthesia and other drugs to facilitate difficult procedures. Training requirements are hefty including a masters degree in a nursing anesthesiology program, as well as a minimum of one year in additional critical care experience.

10. Prosthodontist

Photo Credit: Peter Kasprzyk on Unsplash

Average annual salary: $168,140

Estimated job growth: 17.2%

Similar to dentists, prosthodontists specialize in replacing missing teeth through a variety of methods by building oral prostheses.

9. Dentist

Average annual salary: $173,860

Estimated job growth: 17.2%

Dentists are doctors of oral health, by way of tasks such as regular checkups and teeth cleanings, tooth extractions, filling cavities, placing crowns, and even diagnosing certain oral diseases.

8. Pediatrician

Average annual salary: $184,240

Estimated job growth: 17.8%

Pediatricians are medical doctors that specialize in infant and adolescent health needs, including everything from basic checkups to prescriptions and immunizations. Children will often be followed by the same pediatrician from birth well into their teens.

7. Psychiatrist

Average annual salary: $200,220

Estimated job growth: 13.1%

Psychiatrists tend to specialize in administering treatment for mental health issues more than they study them. Examples include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and various disorders.

6. Physician

Mean annual salary: $201,840

Estimated job growth: 14.9%

Physicians can be several different types of health specialists, however, this refers mostly to primary care doctors whom you’d go to for your regular health checkups.

5. Orthodontist

Mean annual salary: $228,780

Estimated job growth: 17.3%

Orthodontists specialize in oral health and are the dental specialists who keep our smiles bright and our teeth straight. Ever had braces? Then you’ve visited an orthodontist.

4. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon

Mean annual salary: $232,870

Estimated job growth: 17.2%

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are similar to dentists but have a much wider range of procedures they can perform, from jaw reconstruction to lip and face surgery and even diagnosing forms of oral cancer.

3. Obstetrician and gynecologist

Mean annual salary: $234,310

Estimated job growth: 17.9%

Obstetricians and gynaecologists are two different positions, however, both have to do with maintaining women’s genital and reproductive health. OB-GYNs (or obstetricians) specialize in reproductive health by monitoring pregnancies and delivering babies, while gynaecologists focus primarily on genital health through screening for STDs and various genital conditions such as HPV.

2. Surgeon

Mean annual salary: $252,910

Estimated job growth: 16.8%

Surgeons need no introduction: they’re medical professionals specializing in performing surgery on the physical body, including everything from minor injuries to heart surgery.

1. Anesthesiologist

Mean annual salary: $269,600

Estimated job growth: 17.8%

Topping our list, anesthesiologists work hand-in-hand with doctors and other medical staff by administering anesthesia and other drugs required for surgery and then monitoring patients during and after their procedure to make sure they’re maintaining proper vital signs.

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